Terrestrial Movements of the Red-bellied Mudsnake (Farancia abacura) and Rainbow Snake(F.erytrogramma)

摘要

Red-bellied Mudsnakes (Farancia abacura; Fig. 1A) and Rainbow Snakes (Farancia erytrogramma; Fig. 1B) are relatively large species with geographic distributions restricted to the southeastern United States. Both species are highly associated with aquatic habitats, to the extent that at least one, the Red-bellied Mudsnake, has been described as "fully aquatic" (Lutterschmidt et al. 2006). Adults of both species have highly specialized diets: Red-bellied Mudsnakes feed primarily on aquatic, elongate, eellike salamanders (Sirens [Siren spp., Pseudobranchus spp.] and Amphiumas [Amphiuma spp.]), while adult Rainbow Snakes feed almost exclusively on a stream-dwelling, catadromous fish, the American Eel (Anguilla rostrata; Neill 1964).